According to the Hollywood Reporter, distributor Paramount has targeted its promotional efforts for the film towards conservative-leaning media outlets, as well as favouring “red state” audiences for previews and special screenings.

Evidence of the political nature of the film’s publicity includes a sponsored blog by the National Review’s publisher Jack Fowler, in which he describes 13 Hours as “awesome” and says that he “can’t wait to see it again, with my friends, and my sons”; an exclusive interview with the film’s lead, John Krasinski for the conservative Townhall.com, and a TV ad that ran on Fox News straight after President Obama’s State of the Union address.

The Hollywood Reporter quotes Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore as saying: “Movies that honour the military ... definitely do better in Texas, Arizona and Nevada than in San Francisco and New York. This film has those same elements of military heroism – elements that appeal to a conservative audience.”

13 Hours had its premiere at the Texas stadium that is home to the Dallas Cowboys football team, with the so-called “patriotic rock” act Madison Rising among the supporting acts, and preview screenings on military bases have been scheduled. “Conservative and military tend to have a significant overlap,” Moore said.

The film is attempting to replicate the impact of American Sniper, which opened at Christmas 2014, but began its unexpectedly stellar box-office run after going on wide release on 16 January 2o15, the Martin Luther King holiday weekend. 13 Hours is being released on the same weekend this year.